STEVE MACFARLANE, QMI Agency

Steve Mason took a slapshot to the head in the morning skate courtesy of Rick Nash, but the Columbus Blue Jackets netminder wasn’t exactly in the driver’s seat anyway.

Already slated to make the start for the Jackets was … er … backup Curtis Sanford — who has been a great in his three starts since returning from injury and supplanting the struggling Mason.

The former Vancouver Canucks backup is a nice story, and it’s kind of catchy hearing the Sanford and Son theme song ring out at Nationwide Arena when he makes a save.

Among the more impressive saves during the Jackets’ 4-1 win Monday night over the Calgary Flames were his reactions to Alex Tanguay and Mark Giordano slapshots.

Henrik Karlsson, meanwhile, is no Miikka Kiprusoff, but the big Swede didn’t have much help from his friends in taking the loss. Rebounds in front of the towering goalie weren’t being cleared too quickly by the Flames.

Some big saves did come courtesy of Karlsson, however, including a big pad stop on Jackets veteran Vinny Prospal and a last-second kick when sniper Jeff Carter’s deflected shot changed direction.

IN THE CREASE

On the positive side of things — if there are any to be found during a loss to the league’s worst — was the powerplay ending an 0-19 skid when Giordano snapped a shot in off the far post to cut the Jackets’ lead to 3-1 in the second period … Although he had a rough start during a scramble on the Jackets’ second goal, Giordano bounced back with a nice pokecheck on Nash to stop a potentially dangerous rush. He also made a big block during a penalty kill in the second frame … Flames right-winger Rene Bourque came inches from scoring in consecutive games for the first time this season, but Sanford got just enough on the five-hole shot to steer it just wide of the post … Tanguay turned 32 on the night and earned his 700th NHL point.

AGAINST THE GLASS

Not sure if it will warrant a second look by NHL disciplinarian Brendan Shanahan, but Flames defenceman T.J. Brodie wasn’t thinking when he popped Prospal with a rising elbow from the blindside. The Flames rookie earned a minor penalty for an illegal headshot. Ultimately, it cost them a goal when Tanguay joined him in the box for a hook and the Jackets scored with the two-man advantage … Blue Jackets blueliner James Wisniewski has gone through 35 sticks this year. He’s played just a dozen games. At least the one he used to snap home the overtime winner against the Nashville Predators on the weekend didn’t break on him … Ex-Flames forward Kristian Huselius is working his way back to the Jackets lineup from a torn pectoral muscle and should join the team on their early December road trip when it comes calling to Calgary. But the dangly Swede doesn’t think he’ll be quite ready to return by then … I’ll say this about Mason, who watched from the press box with Allen York backing up Sanford thanks to the head injury after the Nash shot in the morning — he makes a decent-looking paper airplane. The 23-year-old tossed one into the crowd during a dull moment of the second period.

PARTING SHOTS

Blue Jackets C Ryan Johansen had nothing but great things to say about former WHL Portland Winterhawks teammate Sven Baertschi when asked about the Flames first-round draft pick after the morning skate. “He was a tremendous player for us. I could go on and on about good things about him,” said the 19-year-old Johansen. “What sticks out to me is his quickness — his first three steps. He’s so good at getting to scoring areas or even being a backcheck, just catching somebody. To go with his shot and his vision, that quickness really helps him. That’s why he puts up so many numbers.” Baertschi is tied for eighth in WHL scoring (seven goals and 33 points) despite playing just 15 games (the fewest of anyone in the top 70) after a long look in Flames camp and a hip injury early in the season. “Next year, I think he’s definitely gonna make a big push on making the team,” Johansen said of Baertschi. “I think he’s got a really good chance.”